Between recovering from a fantastic birthday and Thanksgiving weekend, tackling some big work projects AND the inaugural supper of Whiskey &a Salt Supper Club this weekend, life is crazed. Delicious and awesome but insane. So here’s a delicious and awesome recipe that was unearthed from my draft queue. It’s so good, I’ll post it without pictures AND out of season. Seriously scrumptious. Whether you squirreled away some farm-picked berries in your freezer or you can track down some quality fresh or frozen berries at your grocer, give these bars a go.
Bonus! I found one measly picture of the bars.
There are times when you just know a recipe is going to lead to delicious things. When I spied these cherry brown butter bars over two years ago on my favorite cooking site, my heart skipped a beat. A fruit tart translated into a more approachable, easily transported bar. Quite possibly my favorite fruit enveloped in my favorite fat.
But when does a pound of cherries ever, ya know, survive between the market and the kitchen! I’ve made this recipe multiple times and I’m not sure if cherries have actually made it to any of the bars. But blackberries, just as equally a match made in heaven. You still get a juicy, winey fruit mingling with creamy baked custard and buttery crust, But of course, the last time I made these bars, I couldn’t help but tinker a bit more.
Has my obsession with fresh thyme reared its head around here yet? There were the delicious thyme roasted carrots, but seriously, this might be my favorite herb. Picking up a bunch at the farmer’s market recently, and having way more thyme than two people can reasonably use, it’s been popping up in a lot of recipes around my kitchen. Have you seen Olga’s peach creme fraiche pie with thyme crust (and moving post)? Yeah, Jennifer Perillo knows what she’s doing, adding thyme to a fruit-filled crust is absolutely genius. And why limit the browned butter to custard only? If part of the butter needs to be browned anyway, just throw the other half in as well to brown. So a thyme browned butter crust was born.
Thyme’s woody, fresh, intoxicating scent is an amazing pair with fresh blackberries, and it pulls recipe up a few more notches towards dessert heaven. This is my ideal seasonal transition treat – mostly focused on the summer fruit with a fresh twist, but simple, rich and decadent for the cooler nights. Grab some berries (your choice) before they’re gone, swing by my place for plenty of thyme, and make these bars!
blackberry thyme brown butter bars
thyme brown butter crust
- 15 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon (about 8 sprigs) thyme leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch kosher salt
directions
- Preheat over to 375°F. Line an 8" square or round pan with parchment or foil.
- Put the full amount of butter for the crust and filling (15 tablespoons) in a small light-colored saucepan. The light color of the pan makes it easier to see the butter changing. Turn on medium-high and stir frequently. It will foam and then turn a deep brown (do not burn). Pull off the heat as soon as the brown specks make an appearance. Pour browned butter into glass measuring cup or bowl to cool slightly.
- Using rubber spatula or fork, mix melted 7 tablespoons butter, sugar, thyme and vanilla in the bottom of the small saucepan you used to melt the butter. Add flour and salt and stir until combined. It will look crumbly. Transfer dough to your prepared pan, and use your fingertips to press the dough evenly across the bottom of the pan. Bake the crust until golden, about 18-20 minutes. Transfer the pan to a trivet and keep the oven on.
blackberry brown butter filling
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- pinch kosher salt
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) browned butter (reserved from the crust recipe)
- 8-10 ounces fresh blackberries
directions
- Whisk sugar, eggs, and salt in medium bowl to combine. Add flour and vanilla and whisk until smooth. Slowly pour the reserved browned butter into sugar-egg mixture; whisking constantly until all butter is added and the mixture is smooth and custard-like. Don't forget to scrape in the browned specks of butter that settle at the bottom of the container..
- Arrange the berries in the bottom of your crust. Pour the browned butter mixture over the berries in an even layer. Bake bars about 40 minutes, until the filling is puffed and golden and a toothpick comes out clean, about 40 minutes (though, of course, this took less time in my hyperactive oven so please watch your baking times carefully). Cool bars completely in pan on rack.
- Using the foil or parchment liner as a handle, gently remove the entire bar from the pan and place on a platter or cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut into bars. The shortbread-like crust wants to crumble easily, so don't be alarmed. You can also chill the whole for an hour or longer before slicing to help create smooth cuts. Baby 1" square bites are my preferred size for these rich bites.
